Making electric cars popular in India

If today you are thinking of buying a car, I doubt you will consider an electric car even in your dream. You know that there are only few ugly models available in India. But major concerns are- high price, low range (80-100 km), limit in top speed and charging facility. Who wants to buy a car which cant even support a weekend trip. There is hardly any chance that things will change in next 5-10 years. There is no doubt about the capability of the Indian car manufacturers like Tata, Mahindra or Ashoka Leyland; they can compete with foreign companies or at least they can go for JVs to bring in the technology. But, the question is whether it is economically feasible for them to do so. I have doubt. The Government has some plans on paper to increase penetration of electric cars in Indian market; but, like many other things it is on paper only.

However the government has something very big to offer to the electric car industry. No, I am not talking about subsidy. No more financial burden please. But, government can provide a very big market to the manufacturers. Just consider the number of vehicles government run-public buses, cars for government employees, trucks of the municipalities and so on. After that there is the segment which government can easily control â€“ school buses, taxies, ambulances etc. Notice that most of these vehicles run within the city and donâ€™t suffer because of the low range offered by electric cars with present technology. And the problem of charging can be solved by installing the facilities in depots in initial stage. Government just has to fix a future date, say 1st April, 2017, after which no registration would be given to traditional vehicles for above mentioned cases while old vehicles would be removed from streets gradually. It will be enough for the companies like Tata, Mahindra or Ashoka Leyland to jump in. Technology will automatically start evolving; lithium batteries (or something new) and other components will see production in India.

The benefits are manifold. We all are aware of environmental benefits; so no repeating of all it again. But, the immediate advantages will be cut in petroleum demand (crude oil will hit $200 by then) thus saving our forex reserve; improvement in export-import ratio. Another benefit is saving a lot of money as maintenance and fuel theft are major source of corruption in public transport. Having such a big market in hand Indian companies will surely put money in R&D to compete with their foreign counterparts. It will pave in better technologies. India will surely has the potential to become a leader in this industry even if there is no major break through in technology. If there is real breakthrough regarding range and speed, then Balle balle. People like you and me will have no objection to consider an electric car.

The country's annual electricity generation capacity has increased in last 20 years by about 130 GW, from about 66 GW in 1991[45] to over 100 GW in 2001,[46] to over 199 GW in 2012.[47] India's Power Finance Corporation Limited projects that current and approved electricity capacity addition projects in India are expected to add about 100 GW of installed capacity between 2012 and 2017. This growth makes India one the fastest growing markets for electricity infrastructure equipment.[48][49] India's installed capacity growth rates are still less than those achieved by China, and short of capacity needed to ensure universal availability of electricity throughout India by 2017.

State-owned and privately owned companies are significant players in India's electricity sector, with the private sector growing at a faster rate. India's central government and state governments jointly regulate electricity sector in India.

As of August 2011, the states and union territories of India with power surplus were Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Tripura, Gujarat, Delhi and Dadra and Nagar Haveli.[29][30]

Major economic and social drivers for India's push for electricity generation include India's goal to provide universal access, the need to replace current highly polluting energy sources in use in India with cleaner energy sources, a rapidly growing economy, increasing household incomes, limited domestic reserves of fossil fuels and the adverse impact on the environment of rapid development in urban and regional areas.[50]

According to India's Ministry of Power, about 14.1 GW of new thermal power plants under construction are expected to be put in use by December 2012, so are 2.1 GW capacity hydropower plants and a 1 GW capacity nuclear power plant.[47] India's installed generation capacity should top 200 GW in 2012.

In 2010, the five largest power companies in India, by installed capacity, in decreasing order, were the state-owned NTPC, state-owned NHPC, followed by three privately owned companies: Tata Power, Reliance Power and Adani Power.

In India's effort to add electricity generation capacity over 2009â€“2011, both central government and state government owned power companies have repeatedly failed to add the capacity targets because of issues with procurement of equipment and poor project management. Private companies have delivered better results.[52]

Thermal power plants convert energy rich fuel into electricity and heat. Possible fuels include coal, natural gas, petroleum products, agricultural waste and domestic trash / waste. Other sources of fuel include landfill gas and biogases. In some plants, renewal fuels such as biogas are co-fired with coal.

Coal and lignite accounted for about 57% of India's installed capacity. However, since wind energy depends on wind speed, and hydropower energy on water levels, thermal power plants account for over 65% of India's generated electricity. India's electricity sector consumes about 80% of the coal produced in the country.

India expects that its projected rapid growth in electricity generation over the next couple of decades is expected to be largely met by thermal power plants.

I was going to say we also need to generate electricity for charging all those cars.

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Mass use of electric cars have two major advantages- Cut in dependency on imported fuel and cut in pollution level. Use of Thermal power helps in the first point as we have good reserve of lignite and coal; but, it certainly take away the benefits of electric cars regarding pollution level. On the other hand Hydel power doesnt come without permanent damage to ecology and increasing risk of natural disaster. Though , nuclear power is free from these disadvantages , concerns regarding safety and political opposition will remain major roadlocks. But , India has huge potential in wind and solar energy. We are already among top five or six countries and probably within top three (after USA and China) within this decade. And it is less time consuming to install wind or solar power projects. So, we can expect the balance will shift towards cleenar sources of electricity in future.

Mass use of electric cars have two major advantages- Cut in dependency on imported fuel and cut in pollution level. Use of Thermal power helps in the first point as we have good reserve of lignite and coal; but, it certainly take away the benefits of electric cars regarding pollution level. On the other hand Hydel power doesnt come without permanent damage to ecology and increasing risk of natural disaster. Though , nuclear power is free from these disadvantages , concerns regarding safety and political opposition will remain major roadlocks. But , India has huge potential in wind and solar energy. We are already among top five or six countries and probably within top three (after USA and China) within this decade. And it is less time consuming to install wind or solar power projects. So, we can expect the balance will shift towards cleenar sources of electricity in future.

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Excellent thread, @Sabir. This thread, I believe, is one of the most relevant ones on DFI because it has a direct bearing on India's energy security, economic security (foreign policy & precious foreign exchange) & above all, civic, ecological & overall, environmental sustainability.

LONDON: A British team has set a new world record after its lightweight electric powered car touched the top speed of 328.6 km per hour. Drayson Racing Technologies broke the world land speed record for a lightweight electric car as its Lola B12 69/EV vehicle surpassed the previous top speed of 281.6kph at a Royal Air Force base in Yorkshire.

The company's chief executive Lord Drayson, who was behind the wheel, said the achievement was designed to highlight electronic vehicle technology's potential.

The previous 281.6kph record was set by Battery Box General electric in 1974, the 'BBC News' reported.

"What it, I hope, shows to people is just what the future potential of electric cars is," Lord Drayson said shortly after his record-breaking time was confirmed. "It is a pointer to the future - the technology that we developed for this car will filter down to the cars we use every day," he said.

In order to qualify for an attempt on the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile's world electric land speed record, the team had to make its vehicle weigh less than 1,000kg without the driver.

With the present technology of solar it is not a desire able source of energy. For 1 MWp of Solar energy genertion the area required is almost close to 1 Hectare and with efficency levels of 15%. for India, Kutch and Rajasthan desert are ideal and as Gujarat has shown the canals can also be used.

With the present technology of solar it is not a desire able source of energy. For 1 MWp of Solar energy genertion the area required is almost close to 1 Hectare and with efficency levels of 15%. for India, Kutch and Rajasthan desert are ideal and as Gujarat has shown the canals can also be used.

But strictly going on terms of efficiency it is too primitive.

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I am not a technical person...so I dont have much knowledge about efficiency of sources of alternative energy. Can you give some idea about Wind power and its efficiency ?

BTW, I think technology evolves when it has some takers for it. Otherwise why should the companies invest in R&D....

Electric or Hybrid car , can not be popular in India because of following reasons.

No continuous supply of electricity in India

No charging points in markets and petrol pumps.

Govt will loose tax income on petrol/diesel, if these cars get popular in India .

Expensive electricity. I think ,its 7 rupees / unit in punjab.

General awareness among public in India about hybrid and electric cars.

High maintenance cost of these cars, as it can not be serviced/repaired by road side mechanic

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You have not read the previous posts....we are discussing a way to overcome the problems you mentioned. People are not going to buy electric cars because of these problems untill there is some technical breakthrough regarding range, speed etc and companies (at least in India) are not interested to invest in R&D as future prospects is not so bright.

But, there is a way out. Consider the non-private vehicles run within the city in- bus, taxy, ambulance, School bus, Municipalities vehicles, cars which pick up employees of government and private companies like IT firms and Call centres. A range of 80-100 km after single charge and a top speed of 80 km is sufficient for them. Route of these vehicles more or less predictable so you know where you have to install charging facilities (It is really not possible to install them all over the city )..........

There was a day when cars running on fuel were not as efficient as they are today and there were not pumps all over the city....but still these cars become successful ...isn't it? I am not even considering the individduals like you and me for next ten years. Stll there will be very big market for the manufacturers if above mentioned areas are made reserved for these vehicles from a future date. i hope I dont have to repeat the benefits ..

Yes France ca get its share of the cake.....but we will be happy if Indian compaies come forward. However, I think they need to to go for joint ventures with foreign companies to get better technology...

I am not a technical person...so I dont have much knowledge about efficiency of sources of alternative energy. Can you give some idea about Wind power and its efficiency ?

BTW, I think technology evolves when it has some takers for it. Otherwise why should the companies invest in R&D....

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@Sabir, wind power typically the efficiency or Capacity Factor as they call it typically vares from 15% to 50%. In TN most of the wind farms typically have a Capacity Factor of 33% odd which is quite good. In terms of efficiency and also the ratio of power to area reqd. I would prefer wind farms over solar.

In fact USAID is in talks with some people in India to set up state of the art wind mills in Leh, Ladakh area, where the main challenge will be the extremely low temperatures.

We can install solar units in urban areas as well ....in the roof-top of buildings...without acquiring any land for the purpose.....

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TN Govt is leading the way. They had a tender last year for providing a solar system about 150 to 200 W for every house in the slums or JJ clusters. This would solve the problem of laying cables, electricity connections and then collecting the bill.

However for an average household a 1KW system would cost anything between 1.6 to 2.25 Lakh Rs. Based on today's electricity charges the break even period would be close to 6-7 years or maybe even more depending on the geographical area and also the surrounding structures.

TN Govt is leading the way. They had a tender last year for providing a solar system about 150 to 200 W for every house in the slums or JJ clusters. This would solve the problem of laying cables, electricity connections and then collecting the bill.

However for an average household a 1KW system would cost anything between 1.6 to 2.25 Lakh Rs. Based on today's electricity charges the break even period would be close to 6-7 years or maybe even more depending on the geographical area and also the surrounding structures.

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Some houses in second tier cities are driven by Solar energy plant i nTN.
Most people have set up a complete solar plant for individual houses. The cost starts @ 1 lakh, I guess.

You have not read the previous posts....we are discussing a way to overcome the problems you mentioned. People are not going to buy electric cars because of these problems untill there is some technical breakthrough regarding range, speed etc and companies (at least in India) are not interested to invest in R&D as future prospects is not so bright.

But, there is a way out. Consider the non-private vehicles run within the city in- bus, taxy, ambulance, School bus, Municipalities vehicles, cars which pick up employees of government and private companies like IT firms and Call centres. A range of 80-100 km after single charge and a top speed of 80 km is sufficient for them. Route of these vehicles more or less predictable so you know where you have to install charging facilities (It is really not possible to install them all over the city )..........

There was a day when cars running on fuel were not as efficient as they are today and there were not pumps all over the city....but still these cars become successful ...isn't it? I am not even considering the individduals like you and me for next ten years. Stll there will be very big market for the manufacturers if above mentioned areas are made reserved for these vehicles from a future date. i hope I dont have to repeat the benefits ..

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Honda civic hybrid was launched in India and failed. it has range,looks,sex,and technology. then why it failed?????/